Nearly 100 arrests in Staffordshire as police campaign rolled out

Staffordshire Police arrested 95 people in a fortnight, with 19 charged and others released on bail or ongoing further investigation.

The initiative, called "Don't choose to abuse", was launched by Staffordshire Police in a bid to tackle violence, abuse and intimidation towards women and girls in the county.

Chief Inspector Karen Cooke, who helped to co-ordinate the campaign, said: "We are pleased to see such positive results from our intensification period, especially as it was in addition to the daily demand of incoming incidents.

"Alongside our partners in the violence reduction alliance of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, we are continuing to tackle violence against women and girls and have introduced these local initiatives which will continue into the summer months.

"We are working to make perpetrators aware that their behaviour is not acceptable and that society will condemn their actions by increasing awareness of our ‘Don’t choose to abuse’ campaign.

"We hope to reach a range of different communities with the support of partner agencies such as the Partnerships Against Business Crime in Staffordshire (PABCIS) and contacts across the night-time economy.

"We want to reiterate that violence, abuse, and intimidation against women and girls in any form, and anywhere, is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. We will hold perpetrators of VAIWG accountable for their behaviour, as we are really striving to ensure women and girls feel safe and are confident in reporting to the police."

Staffordshire Police were also contacted about more than 80 cases of domestic abuse, with specialist staff helping to provide support in order to reduce risk of harm to the individuals.

And around 20 schools, colleges and university campuses in the county were visited in support of the campaign, with Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) sharing online safety advice.